The short stories in this collection cover all sorts of territory, from werewolves, evil dolls, cults and demons to the end of the world. The best thiThe short stories in this collection cover all sorts of territory, from werewolves, evil dolls, cults and demons to the end of the world. The best thing about the stories, to me, is that they were all fairly short. Many of them just didn't really do it for me, but overall it was OK. 2.5*...more
The third book based on a series of video games inspired by 80s slasher-themed horror movies. This one open in 1982 where a creepy mall Easter Bunny tThe third book based on a series of video games inspired by 80s slasher-themed horror movies. This one open in 1982 where a creepy mall Easter Bunny turns out to be a child killer who picks his victims thanks to his job, until he's finally caught and executed. Flash forward three years and lowly Channel 9 news has managed to get access to the Easter Ripper's former house in order to film a puff piece on the anniversary of his death. Emma, a young intern who's had to deal with a lousy unpaid job that includes a lecherous boss, a prima donna reporter and an introverted camera man, soon discovers secrets in the house, among them ghostly visions of children who died there. When bodies start piling up around her, Emma soon finds that the Easter Ripper has returned, and she'll have to play a deadly game if she wants to make it out of the house alive. This story was better than Nun Massacre, although, again, the truth behind the killer is pretty obvious even before the more blatant clues start showing up. But as it seems the game was likely a straightforward one, I guess that part isn't so surprising. I think Babysitter Bloodbath is my favorite of the three, but this was still a solid 3.5-4*...more
This is the second book in a series based on video games that were inspired by 70s-80s slasher movies on early horror games from the PS1 and PS2 era. This is the second book in a series based on video games that were inspired by 70s-80s slasher movies on early horror games from the PS1 and PS2 era. Typical of grindhouse, nunspoitation and old slashers, the story begins with a secluded religious boarding school run by nuns, the head nun being a vicious meanie. When she takes one of the young girls, and her favorite doll Bongo the Clown, into her office for yet another round of discipline, it soon escalates into a massive slaughter of everyone in the school. Jump ahead many years to 1978, and a group of recent high school grads plan on having their last party together on top of the mountain in the old abandoned haunted school. On their way, a massive thunderstorm increases in intensity, but the youths carry on nonetheless. Once they start partying in the school they first run into a woman, Mrs. McDonnell, looking for her young daughter who may have gone wandering around the school. Not long after the kids begin dying in gruesome fashion, an unearthly nun-like figure chasing them and brutally ending them one by one. It's up to nerdy final girl Dawn to solve the mystery of hidden safe room and the killer nun before everyone dies. I haven't played any of the games these books are based on, but the way the story plays out, it seems typical of this type of survival game. The way the teens are chased and attacked is what you'd expect from a slasher story. The truth behind the nun was pretty easy to figure out, but I don't think it was expected to be all that big a secret. As the book went on, it just wasn't as sharp as Babysitter Bloodbath, but it was still reasonably enjoyable....more
The Strange Bird takes place following the events of Borne. The Bird of name, another biotech creature, escapes the Company's labs when everything goeThe Strange Bird takes place following the events of Borne. The Bird of name, another biotech creature, escapes the Company's labs when everything goes to hell. At first a bit overwhelmed by the open world, it starts enjoying what its found. But then a storm and a swarm of bugs leaves it helpless, and The Strange Bird find itself at the mercy of the true dangers of the devastated world. Uniquely imaginative and heartbreaking, even though I only vaguely recall Borne having read it so long ago, this was one of VanderMeer's more accessible books, as it didn't take too long to comprehend where in that world we were and what The Strange Bird was experiencing....more
This review is for an ARC copy received from the publisher through NetGalley. This is a prequel to Pumpkin Man: Jane, a book I had never heard of untilThis review is for an ARC copy received from the publisher through NetGalley. This is a prequel to Pumpkin Man: Jane, a book I had never heard of until I discovered this one. The author/publisher is correct, you don't need to have read the other book to understand this one. Beginning in 1950 and then jumping to 1970 it tells how an evil pumpkin entity turns a little boy into a killer, leading to his mother making terrible decisions, which lead to the formation of an even worse pumpkin-headed creature. For the most part it was decently written and fairly enjoyable. The longer the story went, the more uneven it became. At times it's a throw-back, almost cozy horror tale, though the violence in it ramps up to splatterpunk levels at times. The closer to the finale it got, the weaker and sillier it became until a very sudden, abrupt ending. In reading the author's synopsis of the previous book, she purposely wrote it to be kinda silly and a send up of slasher horror, and I guess that pretty much continues here, although the first 2/3 or so of this book were pretty solid. All in all, it's a reasonably fun and quick Halloween read....more
I had never heard of the video game this was based on prior to finding the book, but it's obvious both are knockoffs of the original Halloween film. TI had never heard of the video game this was based on prior to finding the book, but it's obvious both are knockoffs of the original Halloween film. That being said, the book was actually quite good for what it was. It almost felt like R.L. Stine wrote a slasher back in the early 80s aimed at older teens. The story feels absolutely like the era in which it takes place, and just like all the Halloween knock offs that came out back then. The only real issue I had with it is the fact that the two teen girls talk like teen boys, cursing and calling each other "dude" the way adolescents boys would more so than girls. But formulaic as it may be, the story was as enjoyable as any decent slasher film from back in the day....more
This review is for an ARC copy received from the publisher through NetGalley. The book promises short tales of people unexpectedly encountering dinosauThis review is for an ARC copy received from the publisher through NetGalley. The book promises short tales of people unexpectedly encountering dinosaurs with lots of illustrations to go along with them. In that sense, the book delivers. However, it's rather repetitive as the stories mostly feature a family/group of friends, often "adventurous," exploring jungle/forest/abandoned village/ocean, and suddenly they find dinosaurs, mainly Velociraptors, frequently ghosts/spirits. I'm also not sure who exactly the target audience is. The very short length and simplicity lean towards young children, though the language and subject matter seem geared toward at least preteens, if not teens. The artwork is impressive, but the content is a bit too simplistic. I guess if you have children with short attention spans but who love dinosaurs, this would be the book for them. 2.5* for being "OK."...more
This collection of five short stories from du Maurier wasn't all horror tales, the first two, definitely were, the last one arguably so, but the otherThis collection of five short stories from du Maurier wasn't all horror tales, the first two, definitely were, the last one arguably so, but the others were more like just stories that some build up that could have led to something horrific, but ended up just being general fiction stories. The star is definitely the title story. I had seen the movie adaptation a few times, so was mildly surprised to see some things lacking or different in the book. However, but the end of it it became obvious that the heart of short tale is still the meat of the film, the movie simply fleshing out the background and events between the key ones more to make it a two-hour feature film. By the end it was just as creepy as on the big screen. The second story about a fussy prep school teacher on vacation in Cypress to do some painting was less intense, but in the end still had a horror feel to it. One tale features a group of Brits making a pilgrimage to Jerusalem to see the religious sites, and all manner of maladies and such befall most of the members, but in the end they were pretty mundane and led to tale of a trip where no one ended up happy about their travel.The final one was about scientists doing psychic research using computers, trying to connect with electrical energy left behind after one dies. Pretty much a common trope of sci-fi/horror books from the late 60s through the 70s. One story was so uninteresting I don't even recall what it was about and don't feel like going back to reread any of it. Kinda disappointing that after the first two stories the rest were well written language-wise, but pretty banal subject wise.
Merged review:
This collection of five short stories from du Maurier wasn't all horror tales, the first two, definitely were, the last one arguably so, but the others were more like just stories that some build up that could have led to something horrific, but ended up just being general fiction stories. The star is definitely the title story. I had seen the movie adaptation a few times, so was mildly surprised to see some things lacking or different in the book. However, but the end of it it became obvious that the heart of short tale is still the meat of the film, the movie simply fleshing out the background and events between the key ones more to make it a two-hour feature film. By the end it was just as creepy as on the big screen. The second story about a fussy prep school teacher on vacation in Cypress to do some painting was less intense, but in the end still had a horror feel to it. One tale features a group of Brits making a pilgrimage to Jerusalem to see the religious sites, and all manner of maladies and such befall most of the members, but in the end they were pretty mundane and led to tale of a trip where no one ended up happy about their travel.The final one was about scientists doing psychic research using computers, trying to connect with electrical energy left behind after one dies. Pretty much a common trope of sci-fi/horror books from the late 60s through the 70s. One story was so uninteresting I don't even recall what it was about and don't feel like going back to reread any of it. Kinda disappointing that after the first two stories the rest were well written language-wise, but pretty banal subject wise....more
Four short tales, each of a different subject, but at the heart of each story it's a bout relationships. The stories are more horror-adjacent than fullFour short tales, each of a different subject, but at the heart of each story it's a bout relationships. The stories are more horror-adjacent than full blown horror, but all adroitly written and easy to digest. I didn't quite expect the ending of any of them, especially Goblin. The premise of the Magic-8 Ball that gives very specific and bizarre answers was the best concept, though needed there to be something more going on. In fact, all the stories had somewhat abrupt endings that left some ambiguity.
Merged review:
Four short tales, each of a different subject, but at the heart of each story it's a bout relationships. The stories are more horror-adjacent than full blown horror, but all adroitly written and easy to digest. I didn't quite expect the ending of any of them, especially Goblin. The premise of the Magic-8 Ball that gives very specific and bizarre answers was the best concept, though needed there to be something more going on. In fact, all the stories had somewhat abrupt endings that left some ambiguity....more
Ruth, an old friend of Jane Marple asks her to visit her sister, Carrie Louise, because she's worried about her. Agreeing to the plea, Marple heads toRuth, an old friend of Jane Marple asks her to visit her sister, Carrie Louise, because she's worried about her. Agreeing to the plea, Marple heads to Stonygates, an estate with added dormitories where Carrie Louise and her husband have established a sort of clinic for young men with troubled pasts. While there she meets the complicated family of Carrie Louise, and when a member of the trust established to run the clinic shows up and is soon found murdered, it turns out Ruth was right to send Marple there, as it will be her old lady expertise needed to solve the mystery. This was one of the better Miss Marple stories, albeit a lot merely happens around Jane, without her being that central to a lot of the story. It's more of the police asking questions and members of the family bringing about revelations that eventually allow Marple to figure out who committed the crime. I am proud of myself for correctly guessing a lot of who did it and how, and the likely motive behind the murder, even if I didn't get it 100%, but with Christie's mysteries, you never do on your own....more
Four more tales of the Clone Wars. They feature Luminara Unduli, Aurra Sing, Obi-Wan Kenobi and an unusual take, one from the point of view of a battlFour more tales of the Clone Wars. They feature Luminara Unduli, Aurra Sing, Obi-Wan Kenobi and an unusual take, one from the point of view of a battle droid who's been disconnected from his central core. These were some of the better stories in recent editions....more
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